Controls for toration fiberization

Abstract

Equipment is disclosed for gas blast attenuation of attenuable materials by the toration type of technique according to which a gaseous jet is directed transversely into a gaseous blast of larger cross section, thereby developing a zone of interaction of the jet and the blast into which a stream of the attenuable material is delivered. Each fiberizing center incorporates a plurality of components including means for generating the jet, means for generating the blast, and means for supplying the stream of attenuable material. In addition, the fiberizing center frequently also incorporates an additional structural element or means positioned along the path of the jet and influencing the jet flow. The disclosed equipment also includes control mechanism providing for shifting or altering the operative interrelation between various of the components at the fiberizing center, for the purpose of compensating for fluctuations in certain operating conditions arising for example from variations in temperature conditions, in composition of the material being attenuated, velocities of the jet and blast, and other variable factors encountered in operation.

We claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for forming fibrous blanket comprising a perforated fiber collecting conveyor moving in a generally horizontal path, fiber forming mechanism located above the path of the collecting conveyor and comprising a series of fiberizing centers in a plurality of spaced positions along the path of the conveyor, each center including a supply means for delivering a downwardly directed stream of molten thermoplastic attenuable material, and each center including means for effecting gaseous attenuation of the streams of molten material comprising means for generating a gaseous blast and means for generating a gaseous jet, the blast generating means being directed in a downwardly inclined path, and the jet being of smaller cross section than the blast and having higher kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating transversely thereof, and mounting mechanism for the blast and jet generating means including means providing for positioning the jet in the path of a stream of molten material and providing for delivery of the blast and jet in various relatively inclined paths both directed downwardly toward the path of the fiber collecting conveyor. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the mounting mechanism for the blast and jet generating means comprises common mounting means for said blast and jet generating means providing for conjoint movement thereof to deliver the blast and jet in various different paths directed downwardly toward the fiber collecting conveyor. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the mounting mechanism for the blast and jet generating means further includes means providing for conjoint movement of the blast and jet generating means toward and away from the stream of molten material. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus for forming fibrous blanket comprising a perforated fiber collecting conveyor moving in a generally horizontal path, fiber forming mechanism located above the path of the collecting conveyor and comprising a series of fiberizing centers in a plurality of spaced positions along the path of the conveyor, each center including a supply means for delivering a downwardly directed stream of molten thermoplastic attenuable material, and each center including means for effecting gaseous attenuation of the streams of molten material comprising means for generating a gaseous blast in a downwardly inclined path, and means for generating a gaseous jet, the jet being of smaller cross section than the blast and having higher kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating transversely thereof, and mounting mechanism for the blast and jet generating means including means providing for positioning the jet in the path of a stream of molten material and providing for delivery of the blast in a downwardly inclined path toward the fiber collecting conveyor in various differently spaced positions with respect to the stream of molten material. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the mounting mechanism includes means mounting the blast and jet generating means for conjoint movement toward and away from the stream of molten material. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 or in claim 5 in which the mounting mechanism includes means providing for relative movement of the blast generating means and the jet generating means in directions toward and away from each other. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 or claim 4 in which the mounting mechanism for the blast and jet generating means further includes means providing for variation of the vertical spacing of the blast and jet generating means above the fiber collecting conveyor.